1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a powder container for containing a developer which is a powder to be used in an imaging forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile machine, a copy machine or a complex machine equipped with multiple functions, and a powder supply device and an image-forming apparatus including the powder container.
2. Description of the Related Art
When supplying a toner in a powder form to a development device in an image-forming apparatus, a toner contained in a toner cartridge as a powder container (toner container) is supplied by a powder supply device. A sack-like toner cartridge or a bottle-like toner cartridge is generally used. A bottle-like toner cartridge integrated with a gear for rotating a bottle is often used because the toner inside the bottle-like toner cartridge is fed on the toner outlet side by rotating the bottle. By integrally manufacturing the bottle, the manufacturing costs can be controlled, and the manufacturing process can be simplified.
In this configuration, since the gear is located in the outermost area of the toner cartridge, it is required to protect the gear from impact or the like at the time of storage and transportation. Therefore, in order to protect the gear from impact, the entire toner cartridge is packed or a toner discharge mechanism is provided in the toner outlet to cover most parts of the gear by this mechanism. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H07-199632 describes a configuration in which a cover corresponding to a stopper is provided in the toner outlet for the purpose of preventing the toner from spilling out.
However, since the configuration which protects the gear of the toner cartridge requires a supplemental member such as an additional component or a packing component, the increase in the number of components or the increase in the costs is unavoidable. Specifically, when mounting the toner discharge mechanism on the toner cartridge, it is constitutionally impossible to cover the entire gear, and at least a part of the gear is not covered. For this reason, it is difficult to completely protect the gear. If a user unintentionally sets such a damaged toner cartridge, abnormal noise is generated or a driving system for driving a gear is damaged, which becomes a destabilizing factor of the cartridge rotation, and the stable toner supply is disturbed. If the toner is not stably supplied to a development device, the destabilized toner supply becomes a development error factor, disturbing high quality image formation.
Assuming that a cover which covers a gear is provided, if a fastener which fastens the cover is provided, the length of the toner cartridge is increased by the fastener, and it becomes necessary for the extended portion to have a toner feeding function.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H07-199632 describes a cover, but this is for preventing the spilling out of the toner from the toner outlet, and this cover can not protect the gear.